1464 IMPERIAL UNITY [PART VIII
sentation, but that it rather should include, in addition to
the Agent-General or other specially deputed representative
of each Government, any leading public man who was in
England at the time and was specially qualified to take a
useful part in the discussion. At the same time, it was
considered desirable to arrange for the presence of representatives
 from the Crown Colonies.
In response to this invitation a Conference was held which
opened on April 4 and ended on May 9, 1887. The first
meeting was a ceremonial one, when the Prime Minister and
several other ministers and ex-ministers, Members of Parliament,
 and others, were present and general speeches were
made by the Marquess of Salisbury, Lord Granville, Mr. Stanhope,
 Sir H. Holland, and representatives of the Colonies.
Subsequently, when questions specially concerning particular
 departments were considered, members of the Government
 within whose department the question fell assisted in
the discussions. Arrangements were made with the representatives
 of the Cape for the armament of Table Bay and
for the fortification of Simon’s Bay, the latter at the entire
cost of the Imperial Government. It was not found possible
to make any definite arrangements for the defence of King
George’s Sound and Torres Straits, but it was agreed to
increase the Australasian squadron. The agreement was
for ten years in the first instance, and under its terms five
fast cruisers and two torpedo gunboats were to be added to
the squadron under the command of the admiral, such
vessels to be retained for service within the limits of the
Australasian station, the Colonies agreeing to pay for maintenance
 a sum not exceeding £91,000 a year, and for depreciation
 and other incidental charges a further sum not
exceeding £35,000 a year.
A scheme for Imperial penny postage was thought to be
impracticable for financial reasons, and the Colonies were
unwilling to enter the Postal Union without securing adequate
representation. The question of an alternative telegraphic
! This was afterwards arranged ; cof. Parl. Pap., C. 1666 (1877), 2050,
2309 (1878-9), 5040 (1887), for the discussion of the question.